News Articles
SABINE:
Katherine M. Kezerle Sepulvado
January 22, 1928 – June 21, 2022
Service: Wednesday, June 29 at 10 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church
WINN:
Bobby Joe Bacle
June 1, 1944 – June 26, 2022
Service: Wednesday, June 29 at 10 am at Midway Baptist Church
Erlene Melton Smith
January 6, 1932 – June 26, 2022
Service: Wednesday, June 29 at 11 am at Southern Funeral Home
Natchitoches City Council will have a pre-council meeting on Monday, June 27 beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. to discuss non-agenda items. The City Council meeting will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month and will be reserved to only items on the Agenda. The public is invited to both the pre-council meetings and council meetings with the understanding that items not on the agenda will not be discussed at the scheduled council meetings, but the public is welcome to discuss any topic at the pre-council meetings. The City Council Meetings are held at the Natchitoches City Council Chambers located at 716 Second Street, Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Any Citizen that wishes to observe the City Council meeting live may do so at :
https://www.facebook.com/NPJNatLa
A G E N D A
CALL TO ORDER
INVOCATION
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
READING AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF JUNE 13, 2022.
SPECIAL GUEST: Sarah Troncale – Louisiana National Guard, Youth Challenge
Program.
ORDINANCES – FINAL:
#037 Harrington Ordinance Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches, Ronnie Williams, To Execute A Lease With Option To Purchase For The Lease And Eventual Purchase Of Tract Located At 1608 Texas Street, From John Barry Guillet, Said Lease Providing For A Three Year Term With An Option To Purchase At Any Time During The Term Of The Lease, To Provide For Advertising, And A Savings Clause.
#038 Petite A Third Supplemental Bond Ordinance Authorizing The Issuance By The City Of Natchitoches, State Of Louisiana Of Its Taxable Utilities Revenue Bonds, Series 2022, In An Amount Not To Exceed Nine Hundred Thirty-Five Thousand Dollars ($935,000), Prescribing The Form, Terms And Conditions Of Said Bonds; Providing For The Payment Thereof; Entering Into Certain Other Covenants And Agreements In Connection With The Security And Payment Of Said Bonds; Selling Said Bonds To The Clean Water State Revolving Fund; Authorizing The Execution Of A Loan And Pledge Agreement And Other Loan Documents With The Louisiana Department Of Environmental Quality; Providing For The Delivery Of The Bonds To Said Department; And Providing For Other Matters In Connection Therewith.
#039 Harrington Ordinance To Designate Funds From The American Rescue Plan For Use By The City Of Natchitoches To Provide Funding For Infrastructure Improvements And To Otherwise Provide With Respect Thereto.
ORDINANCE – INTRODUCTION:
#040 Nielsen Ordinance Amending the 2022 – 2023 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues and Expenditures.
RESOLUTIONS:
#056 Smith Resolution Approving A Temporary Site License With New Cingular Wireless PCS And Authorizing The Mayor Of The City Of Natchitoches, Ronnie Williams, Jr., To Execute Same On Behalf Of The City Of Natchitoches, Louisiana.
#057 Elie Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Enter Into A Contract With BXS Insurance For The Travelers Insurance Group Casualty Package Insurance Renewal Effective June 30, 2022 Through June 30, 2023.
#058 Nielsen Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Execute Change Order No. 2 To The Contract Between The City Of Natchitoches And Williams Equipment Services, LLC, For FY 2021-22 Phase 1 Street Rehabilitation (BID NO. 0641)
#059 Petite Resolution Of The City Of Natchitoches, State Of Louisiana, Providing For The Support Of The Economic Development In The Western Areas Of The City Of Natchitoches In Cooperation With The Natchitoches Industrial Development Board, The Proposed Texas Street Economic Development District, Or Such Other Special Districts As May Be Created By The City Of Natchitoches From Time To Time, Subject To The Approval Of The Governing Authorities Of Any Such Boards Or Districts, And Providing For Other Matters In Connection Therewith.
#060 Smith Resolution Appointing The City Attorney And Assistant City Attorneys For The City Of Natchitoches.
#061 Elie Resolution Appointing Members To The City Planning Commission For The City Of Natchitoches.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The next scheduled City Council meeting will be Monday, July 11, 2022.
The Offices of the City of Natchitoches will be CLOSED Monday, July 4, 2022 in honor of Independence Day.
Marquis Evans, 21 of Natchitoches, was pronounced deceased at the scene of a homicide investigation around 2:30 am on June 25. Investigators learned that Daniel Williams, 23 of Creston, and another individual were approached at a gas pump by Evans in the 5100 block of University Parkway (French Market Express).
This encounter led to the shooting death of Marquis Evans and Daniel Williams. The third victim, who was with Daniel Williams at the gas pump, was also struck by gunfire during the altercation.
Evans was out on a $500,000 bond while awaiting a trial date for attempted second-degree murder charges resulting from a shooting that occurred on Royal Street near South Drive on April 8, 2021.
See related articles below.
Natchitoches Police investigate homicide on University Parkway
Natchitoches Police arrest individual for Attempted Second Degree Murder
The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a shooting that killed two individuals and injured a third person early Saturday morning.
On June 25, 2022, around 2:30 a.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department were dispatched to the 5100 block of University Parkway (French Market Express) in reference to a report of gunshots in the area. Upon officer’s arrival, they located Marquis Evans (B/M, 21 y.o.a. of Natchitoches), Daniel Williams (B/M, 23 y.o.a. of Creston), and another individual suffering from gunshot wounds.
Investigators on the scene were able to learn that Daniel Williams and the third victim were at a gas pump when they were approached by Marquis Evans. This encounter led to the shooting death of Marquis Evans and Daniel Williams. The third victim, who was with Daniel Williams at the gas pump, was also struck by gunfire during the altercation.
• Marquis Evans was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office as a result of his injuries.
• Daniel Williams was transported to the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased as a result of his injuries.
• The third person injured was transported to a hospital in Rapides Parish where they are listed in stable condition.
This investigation is ongoing and the Natchitoches Police Department will release more details as they become available.
If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective John Wynn at (318) 357-3811. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.
How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:
To report a tip call Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward of up to $2,000 for the arrest of an offender.
Natchitoches Police arrest individual for Attempted Second Degree Murder
Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives are actively investigating a shooting in Clarence on Friday evening that left two Natchitoches juveniles hospitalized according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.
On Friday evening, June 24, 2022, at approximately 11:58 pm, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies responded to NATCOM 911 Center reports of shots fired in the area of Lee Street in Clarence, La.
While units were responding to the area, Natchitoches Police contacted the NPSO requesting a unit respond to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for two patients suffering from gunshot wounds.
Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau and Detectives assigned to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau responded to two separate locations, the crime scene and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.
Two detectives and patrol deputies photographed and processed the crime scene which included collecting evidence and interviewing potential witnesses while one detective and patrol deputies interviewed the victims and processed a black Kia Optima with bullet holes at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.
Detectives learned during the preliminary stages of the investigation, that two 17-year-old Natchitoches juveniles were attending a private party at the Clarence Community Center in Clarence. While standing outside of the Community Center near their vehicle (Kia Optima) an unknown suspect fired several rounds striking both of them.
Both victims were transported from the scene by private vehicle to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to the leg and one a graze wound to the forehead.
Both remain hospitalized at an undisclosed hospital.
Detectives say there are no suspects at this time, however, they are in the early stages of the investigation and have several potential witnesses to interview including submitting evidence collected at the scene to the crime lab for analysis.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
Detectives say at this time, there is no obvious connection between this shooting and the homicide investigation being conducted by the Natchitoches Police Department that occurred during the early morning hours of June 25, 2022.
If you have any information, please contact the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office at 352-6432 or the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division at 357-7830.
Case Agent:
Detective Sgt. Jared Kilpatrick
NPSO Criminal Investigations Division
The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a home invasion on Sixth Street that resulted in the suspect being shot in the hand.
On June 20 around 9:45 a.m., officers with the Natchitoches Police Department were dispatched to the 900 block of Sixth Street in reference to a home invasion. Upon the officer’s arrival, they located Brandon Bernstine, the suspect, (B/M, 33 y.o.a. of Natchitoches) suffering from a gunshot wound to his hand. Brandon Bernstine was transported to the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for further treatment.
While on scene officers were able to make contact with the victim who said that Brandon Bernstine forced his way into the residence and committed a battery on her. The victim was able to retrieve a shotgun and fired one gunshot that struck the suspect in the hand.
Brandon Bernstine was arrested for Home Invasion and Remaining on Places after being Forbidden. He was placed in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.
If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective John Wynn at (318) 357-3811. Remember all information given shall remain confidential.
How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:
To report a tip anonymously call Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388. All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward of up to $2,000 for the arrest of an offender.
NATCHITOCHES – For the 50th anniversary of its arrival in this small town located on Cane River Lake, the 2022 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony took time to celebrate the villages.
Those villages – whether it was Crowley or Bunkie or Mamou or Thibodaux or Opelousas — as well as the villages who helped nurture and produce the 12-member Class of 2022 that officially entered the state’s sports shrine, were on display at the event inside the Natchitoches Events Center.
“I always tell people, like the saying, it takes a village,” said Garland Forman, the longtime journalist at the Bunkie Record. “Well, I had a lot of villages.”
Forman’s statement held true across the board Saturday night whether the inductees came from the more rural areas of Louisiana or if they plied their trades in Baton Rouge or New Orleans.
Before the inductions began, Northwestern State’s Jerry Pierce was honored with a special award for bringing the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame to Natchitoches a half-century ago, in 1972. Pierce was LSHOF chairman until April 1990.
Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame cowboy Steve Duhon, an Opelousas native who played one season of football at LSU, praised his parents for making the sacrifices necessary for him to chase his dreams and his brother for being his constant companion in the practice pen.
“God blessed me with a lot of abilities, but the best deal was him blessing me with my parents,” Duhon said. “They supplied me with whatever I needed. My brother took my hand and drove me to a lot of rodoes. All of my children rodeoed and now my grandkids are starting to ride. It’s one big family deal, and now I get to do it all over again on the other side.”
Few athletes in LSU history have been as successful as gymnast Susan Jackson, who highlighted the opening Walk of Legends by somersaulting onto the stage in front of nearly 700 at the Natchitoches Events Center.
A 12-time All-American (11 first-team honors) and three-time national champion, Jackson became a standout at a place she committed to sight unseen and helped lay the foundation for a powerhouse program.
“Very early in the process, I knew LSU was for me,” said Jackson, who started the night by cartwheeling onto the stage. “I bonded quickly with the coaches. I loved the fact they cared for me as Susan the person, not just the gymnast. I Googled LSU in typing class my junior year. The fact it was a one-hour drive from New Orleans didn’t hurt their chances either.”
The potential for a no-hitter always existed when Britni Sneed Newman stood in the circle for LSU.
A dominating right-hander who set a gaggle of Southeastern Conference softball records in her two-time All-American career, Sneed Newman tossed 10 no-hitters at LSU – six in her senior season – and helped lead the Lady Tigers to their first Women’s College World Series appearance.
That – not the 10 no-hitters – is what mattered most to Sneed Newman, now an assistant coach at Baylor.
“I don’t remember one of them,” Sneed Newman said. “I wish I did. It would be really cool to talk about. I do remember our team finally getting to the Women’s College World Series. We kept saying, ‘We’ve got to get past Courtney Blades so we can win the Women’s College World Series.’ That was my ultimate moment at LSU.”
Current Baylor coach Glenn Moore, a Northwestern State graduate, recruited Sneed to LSU and coached her for her first two seasons before taking the Baylor job.
Moore was impressed early by his ace right-hander’s demeanor even as a high schooler.
“She separated herself in the recruiting world because of her demeanor,” he said. “She didn’t get rattled. She didn’t get hit often, so there was not a lot of opportunities for her to get rattled.”
The linchpin of a Saints offensive line that helped Drew Brees set league passing records, Jahri Evans’ 11-year career produced a Super Bowl championship that forever endeared himself and his teammates to the city and state.
Evans felt the love – almost physically – from Who Dat Nation throughout his career.
“I was coming from Bloomsburg (University) where I probably played in front of 5,000 people,” he said. “In the Superdome, we fed off the crowd. We really fed off the crowd going to the hotel the night before. New Orleans knows how to party.”
A standout for the Ruston Bearcats, Kyle Williams became a starter as a sophomore defensive tackle midway through LSU’s 2003 national championship season and parlayed his success at LSU into a 13-year NFL career with Buffalo – one of the NFL’s most passionate markets.
“I’m super happy for you and your family,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said. “Jill, I hope you don’t cry that crying face you did when Kyle retired. Kyle, I hope you smile a little bit and enjoy the moment you earned.”
Williams smiled plenty during his speech, but when it came time to acknowledge his village, it was the thought of his wife that nearly made the high-motor defensive tackle come to tears.
“Probably the greatest moment of my career is making a victory lap in Buffalo and getting to go into a secluded room and tell my family the reason I was able to do that was I made a commitment to be my best every day and do my best,” Williams said. “That’s why we get to experience this weekend. Last but not least – and maybe the shortest – I like to call her the Little General.
“Jill, when I hitched my wagon to your star, it took off. You’re the toughest person I know. You’re a monster. You’re the best. I appreciate you.”
Natchitoches Parish Journal columnist Teddy Allen was a Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism winner.
A writer and columnist in New Orleans, Shreveport and Monroe, and a communications staff member since 2008 at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech, the loquacious everyman took a 10-minute break from his master of ceremonies gig to be honored in his first year on the ballot.
“It helps to write like you talk,” said J.J. Marshall, Allen’s longtime friend and co-worker. “If you listen to Teddy and you read Teddy, it’s almost the way he talks. He doesn’t try to overwrite. Teddy opens up and types it. Here it is. It sounds simple, but a lot of people don’t do that.”
The son of a South Carolina preacher who famously bestowed “The Mailman” nickname on Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Karl Malone, Allen had one simple way to sum up his journey to the Hall of Fame.
“I’ve led a Forrest Gump-like existence,” he said. “I was working at Beacon Gas in Claiborne Parish, and literally the parish sheriff too me to Ruston and said this is where you’re going to school. I told him no. He said, ‘Yeah, this is gonna happen.’ There have been a lot of people help me get from Point A to B to C. Such dear friends. I just like to laugh and love to hear you laugh.”
The Village of Natchez held its 27th Natchez Heritage Festival Saturday, June 25 at the village’s Pecan Park. The small town event had the easygoing, friendly feel of a family reunion, as evidenced by the attendees’ colorful “It’s a Family Thang!” shirts.
The event began with a parade through the village featuring an eclectic mix of 4 wheelers, cars, church floats, motorcycles, fire trucks, and a few horses. The parade was headed by grand marshal Howard Conday and his wife, Alexa Bernard-Conday. Howard Conday is a Natchez native who has returned to his hometown and a career in the practice of law. Alexis Bernard-Conday serves as the principal of Natchitoches Junior High School.
The parade ended at Natchez’ Pecan Park where an afternoon of fun, music, food and fellowship then began. The event opened with brief welcomes from Mr. Howard Conday, Mayor-Elect Patsy Hoover-Ward, Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams and others. Children from local dance troupes also performed for the crowd of several hundred. The wonderful aromas of grilling arose from a number of tents where superb meals were prepared for the attendees.
The Natchez Heritage Festival was a delightful example of southern hospitality. The festival commemorated the past, celebrated the present and expressed hope for the future. To paraphrase Daniel Webster, it is a small town and yet there are those who love it!
The month of June marks the beginning of a most welcome addition to the Natchitoches arts and literary scene. “Literary June” was a series of literary and poetry readings held at Natchitoches’ Storybook Café’ intended to spotlight Central Louisiana writers and poets. There were four readings throughout the month in which featured writers and poets would present their works to an audience at the café. There was also an open mic in which anyone could come up and present. The series has proved quite popular, filling the Storybook Café to capacity.
Literary June got the series off to a strong start. It will be followed by Literary July as monthly events unfold in the future. These events are a superb way to encourage local talent and showcase local writers and poets!
Three members of the Northwestern State sports information staff took home awards in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s annual sports information/communications contest.
Assistant athletic director for media relations Jason Pugh took home a pair of awards, including first place in the Football Release/Feature category for his story on sixth-year Demon wide receiver Gavin Landry and his winding career path.
The judge’s comments on the story, which appeared on Nov. 3 on http://www.NSUDemons.com, read: “The winner in this category details the career of a former walk-on who overcame a heart defect and a torn ACL to survive and shine. Judicious use of quotes and great context.”
Pugh added a third-place finish in the Men’s Basketball/Baseball Feature/Release category for his coverage of men’s basketball coach Mike McConathy’s retirement news conference in March.
Assistant director of communication Brad Welborn’s feature story on assistant volleyball coach Stacey Aldredge’s and her mother’s battle with cancer was awarded second place in the All Other Sports Feature/Release category.
Patrick Netherton, the radio voice of the Demons, picked up a third-place award in the Best Radio Interview category and took home an honorable mention in the Best Radio Show (Solo) category for “The Patrick Netherton Show,” which airs at 3 p.m. weekdays on 1130 AM The Tiger in Shreveport.
For the second straight season Northwestern State softball has two representatives on the Louisiana Sports Writer’s Association All-Louisiana Softball Teams, released by the LSWA on Friday.
First-Team All-Southland players Laney Roos and Sage Hoover each received the honor, their first all-state awards at NSU.
Roos earned a spot on the second team in the outfield, where she spent the majority of the conference schedule after beginning the season in the designated player role, and led the Lady Demons in eight different offensive categories.
She batted a team-best .365 on the season, sixth best in the Southland, with her 58 total hits the eighth most in a single season by any player under head coach Donald Pickett.
She slashed .365/.431/.547, top 10 in the Southland in each category, for the year with six home runs and 32 RBI with a team-leading 17 multi-hit games, including the final two games of the conference tournament where she had five hits in her final eight at bats.
Picking up an LSWA honorable mention was NSU’s freshman standout pitcher.
Hoover was named Southland Freshman of the Year after leading the league in strikeouts at 175, the most by a pitcher under Pickett, with a 9.3 K/7 rate. She finished with an 11-7 record and 2.56 ERA with 11 complete games and tied for 11th in the nation with five saves.
She threw the 15th no-hitter in program history on April 22 against UIW and set the school record for strikeouts in a game with 18 in a 12-inning complete game win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Natchitoches’ Downtown Riverbank Stage was the place to be Friday, June 24, as the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s Induction Celebration hosted Rockin’ Riverfest. The popular event, long part of the annual induction of each new class of Louisiana sports legends into the Hall 0f Fame, featured concerts and family fun for children at the riverbank, all free of cost to anyone attending.
The MJ Dardar Band started off the festivities entertaining the crowd with over an hour’s worth of fun music. They were followed by the incredible Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr and the Zydeco Twisters who kept the crowd on their feet and dancing throughout the evening. The mascots for the Saints and Pelicans, Gumbo and Pierre, also got in on the fun, dancing with Dopsie and audience members.
Louisiana’s two major professional sports teams, the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA and Saints of the NFL provided fun opportunities for the younger set. Youngsters could try their hoop skills on several basketball goals set up by the Pelicans while the Saints had a fun quarterback simulator in which children could demonstrate their passing skills. Vendors along the riverbank served up food and drinks to hungry festivalgoers.
The 2022 LSHOF Induction Class was introduced to the city during a break in the concert. The 2022 Miss Louisiana, LA Tech senior Gracie Reichman of Colfax, was also introduced. After the 2022 LSHOF induction class was presented, festivalgoers were treated to fireworks over the Cane River, always a treat. After the fireworks, the event concluded with some more superb music from Rockin’ Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters.
The 63rd wedding anniversary on June 28 was celebrated by Sonny and Evelyn Evans. Coy Birdwell is pictured with them and Coy and Charlotte had a 50 th anniversary in Yellowstone with family.
Next month’s program will be on the Play Nunsence by NSU theater group previewing it. Lunch will be at 11 am Wednesday July 6 and chicken and cake will be provided for a fee of $5 and you can feel free to bring a side dish to share. All are welcome.
Questions? Call 318-471-3763. No reservation required.
PS: No one admitted having a birthday but all 50 ate cake.
SABINE:
Katherine M. Kezerle Sepulvado
January 22, 1928 – June 21, 2022
Service: Wednesday, June 29 at 10 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church
Winnie Ebarb Webb
April 4, 1921 – June 21, 2022
Service: Monday, June 27 at 10 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home Chapel
RED RIVER:
Bettie Jean Womack
May 28, 1944 – June 23, 2022
Service: Monday, June 27 at 11 am at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel
NATCHITOCHES – For the 50th anniversary of its arrival in this small town located on Cane River Lake, the 2022 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony took time to celebrate the villages.
Those villages – whether it was Crowley or Bunkie or Mamou or Thibodaux or Opelousas — as well as the villages that helped nurture and produce the 12-member Class of 2022 that officially entered the state’s sports shrine were on display at the event inside the Natchitoches Events Center.
“I always tell people, like the saying, it takes a village,” said Garland Forman, the longtime journalist at the Bunkie Record. “Well, I had a lot of villages.”
Forman’s statement held true across the board Saturday night whether the inductees came from the more rural areas of Louisiana or if they plied their trades in Baton Rouge or New Orleans.
On a night that started with “The Father of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame,” Northwestern State’s Jerry Pierce, being honored for helping bring the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame to Natchitoches in 1972, there was, fittingly, an Olympic gold medalist in the class.
A boxer-turned-dentist, Dr. Eddie Flynn posted a 144-0 amateur record and captured the gold medal in the 147-pound welterweight division in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
As one of three posthumous inductees in the 2022 class, Flynn’s story helped lead his great-grandson, Cory Martin, on a deeper dive into his family history, linking together generations.
“This has been very unique,” Martin said. “That video got me emotional. I was joking with my wife, my mom’s a bit of a hippie, so she doesn’t travel. When we told her about it, she was tearing up on the phone. When you’re growing up and your great grandfather is an Olympic gold medalist, you hear about it. To div in and really talk to my family on that side – my uncle and aunts – it’s who he was as a man that’s what impacted me most. Look at his athletic career, his service to his country (in World Ward II), it’s unbelievable.”
The oxymoronic turn of a boxer turning into a dentist was a fitting one for Flynn, whose boxing scholarship to Loyola University in New Orleans turned profitable for the school as Flynn’s bouts became huge ticket draws.
“He once said he became an oral surgeon because he didn’t like hurting people and inflicting pain,” said Les East, a longtime New Orleans-area journalist. “He went into a career where he could relieve other people’s pain.”
Flynn’s remarkable 144-0 record was driven by part of his village, arguably the most influential part.
“He hid the fact he was boxing from his father,” East said. “His father didn’t think there was much of a future in it. In fact, he boxed under an alias. His father eventually found out about it and told him, ‘OK, you can keep boxing, but if you lose, that’s it.’ He never lost, so he never had to hang up his gloves before he was ready.”
While Flynn had to hide his athletic pursuits from his family’s patriarch, three-time world champion steer roper Steve Duhon had no such issues.
Duhon, an Opelousas native who played one season of football at LSU, praised his parents for making the sacrifices necessary for him to chase his dreams and his brother for being his constant companion in the practice pen.
“God blessed me with a lot of abilities, but the best deal was him blessing me with my parents,” Duhon said. “They supplied me with whatever I needed. My brother took my hand and drove me to a lot of rodeos. All of my children rodeoed and now my grandkids are starting to ride. It’s one big family deal, and now I get to do it all over again on the other side.”
As the next generation of Duhons enters the arena, they have a lot to live up to, including a record run of 3.0 seconds Steve Duhon set at the National Finals Rodeo in 1986.
That effort shocked neither Duhon nor those who befriended and competed against him.
“Steve had ice water in his veins,” fellow cowboy and competitor Tody Roach said. “The more pressure, the better he likes it. He made most of his fame and fortune in the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association as a steer wrestler, but there are a lot of people, like calf ropers and team ropers, who are glad he didn’t hone in on those events.”
There are plenty of high school cross-country coaches and runners in Louisiana who probably wished Claney Duplechin had honed in on his first loves of baseball and football.
After graduating from LSU, the former Mamou High School first baseman hoped to coach football and baseball at Catholic High in Baton Rouge. The first sport worked out fine, but Catholic’s baseball staff was full.
Baseball’s loss was eventually the Episcopal High School cross-country program’s ultimate gain. In 47 years at the school, Duplechin has been the architect of a state championship-winning juggernaut, capturing 25 straight boys state cross-country crowns in a streak that ended in November.
Duplechin thanked his crosstown friend and foe, Catholic’s Pete Boudreaux (also a Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer), for his guidance, which continues today.
“After I talked to Barrett Murphy and he told me their baseball staff was full and I’d be coaching track, I went to work with Pete and, again, my heart was still with baseball,” Duplechin said. “He changed my mind. He basically made me start loving the sport of track and field. I learned so much from him on how to coach people, not how to coach the sport. If you coach people first, you’re going to be successful.”
The respect between the two now Hall of Fame fraternity brothers is a two-way street – one that has run for more than four decades.
“We go way back and we’ve developed over that time, a mutual admiration society,” Boudreaux said. “He was always a go-getter, a fireball. He had good ideas – really good ideas. From there, whenever he moved on, I knew he’d be successful wherever he’d go. I hated losing him. To this day, I regret him leaving.”
While Duplechin continues to impart life lessons to the next generation, former McNeese and UL Lafayette baseball coach Tony Robichaux did so across a state-record 1,177 college baseball wins before succumbing to the effects of a heart attack in July 2019.
The “Robe-isms” the butcher’s son from Crowley left for reporters and fans and coaches alike have weaved their way into the lives of plenty of villagers in and around Acadiana and well beyond.
“He had a way of taking very difficult information and putting it in a poetic, philosophical way,” his oldest son, Justin, said. “Robeisms. My brother and sister and I knew as to how he communicated with us. It was fun and interesting at times. You could see how much it meant to him, the effort he went through to make an impact on someone.”
Beyond the nearly 1,200 on-field victories, Robichaux scored countless others away from the field based on his life’s philosophy and his commitment to his principles and values.
Cajun fans need to look no further than the statue that sits out front of M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park to see that. Driven by financial contributions from former players, the statue was unveiled ahead of the 2020 season, just months after Robichaux’s death.
“What he stood for needs to be felt for all time by every player who runs on that field,” said left-handed pitcher Phil Devey, who left as the Cajuns’ all-time strikeout leader after his career ended in 1999. “They need to learn about him and listen to his message. We felt compelled to put something together that will stand the test of time and be here forever. It would be selfish for us to keep the lessons he taught us within us. We need to let everyone know who this man was.”
The third posthumous inductee in the Class of 2022, former LSU and Thibodaux High School offensive lineman Eric Andolsek, left quite a legacy as well.
An All-SEC and third-team All-American as a Tiger, Andolsek died 30 years ago Thursday and was inducted on the anniversary of his funeral, which came at age 25.
His brother, Andy, recalled Eric’s college choices coming down to Alabama and LSU and what his younger brother’s decision to stay closer to home meant, especially in light of the accident that took his life.
“I lived next door to my parents, and every afternoon you had a college coach sitting in the living room talking or eating boiled crawfish,” Andy Andolsek said. “He was torn between LSU and Alabama. He made the right choice. He stayed home where everybody could follow him. That made his legacy in Thibodaux. If he had gone somewhere else, he wouldn’t have been who he was. Even now, going to the grocery store, someone always has an Eric story, and it usually doesn’t deal with football. It could be as simple as changing a flat tire. Everyone in Thibodaux still remembers him.”
In addition to his prowess and nasty streak on the field, Andolsek’s high school coach has another idea why people remember the man who was a “gentle giant” away from the field.
“When the Detroit Lions came to town for his funeral, one of the coaches said Eric was a special person – a giver,” Laury Dupont said. “When you give, it grows. When you save, it dies. Eric was a giver. He touched everybody’s life.”
Forman touched his share of lives in rural Louisiana.
A “country journalist,” Forman handled not only sports but news in Bunkie for more than three decades and has served the past four-plus years as the publisher for a number of community newspapers.
“I always felt that community news was the big thing, and not just news but sports,” said Forman, the only person to serve as the president of both the Louisiana Press Association and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. “I think I fell in love with Bunkie over the years. It was a great thing, and we did very well there.”
Forman helped make the Bunkie Record the LPA’s Newspaper of the Year three times with a very limited staff.
“Garland Forman was the news,” former DSA winner Glenn Quebedeaux said. “If something happened, people looked to Garland to find out what happened in Bunkie or the surrounding area. You don’t see many people like that. He’s a saint in Bunkie. He’s so well thought of and well respected, not just in Bunkie but the LSWA as a whole.”
Forman left his mark on one of the smaller parts of Louisiana, but Jay Cicero, a Shreveport native, made his impression on the state’s largest city.
As the president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Cicero and his team are responsible for bringing a litany of events to New Orleans and its surrounding area. While a behemoth in the state, New Orleans faces challenges from much larger metropolitan areas in the country.
Cicero, for his efforts, was named the Dave Dixon Sports Leadership Award recipient. The son of a longtime high school baseball coach in Shreveport, Cicero credited his time growing up around the game with instilling in him a career path and a philosophy of success.
“It’s the right place, the right time, and being around some great people,” he said. “I try to explain that to our staff, younger people, my kids, and friends. Surround yourself with great people. Find somebody who is great and handles their business in the right way. You need to be around those people and absorb that.”
Cicero has absorbed plenty of New Orleans culture and ingrained himself in it as well.
“One of the greatest attributes is a mantra we say a lot around here – it’s amazing what we can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit,” said Dennis Lauscha, president of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. “That’s Jay. He’s always in the back trying to make sure the event is successful, to make sure his organization is successful, to make sure his team is successful.”
Few athletes in LSU history have been as successful as gymnast Susan Jackson.
A 12-time All-American (11 first-team honors) and three-time national champion, Jackson became a standout at a place she committed to sight unseen and helped lay the foundation for a powerhouse program.
“Very early in the process, I knew LSU was for me,” said Jackson, who started the night by cartwheeling onto the stage. “I bonded quickly with the coaches. I loved the fact they cared for me as Susan the person, not just the gymnast. I Googled LSU in typing class my junior year. The fact it was a one-hour drive from New Orleans didn’t hurt their chances either.”
Kidding aside, Jackson’s natural talent made fellow Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer D-D Breaux’s coaching job much easier.
Honing that natural talent into a champion was the job of Breaux and assistant coach Bob Moore, who echoed his former boss’ thoughts on Jackson.
“She and I worked at this coaching thing as more of a partnership than a traditional athlete and coach,” Moore said. “We worked together. We were honest with each other. I can’t take credit for anything. The greatness was already there. I had the good fortune to help her relax and reach out and get her potential.”
The potential for a no-hitter always existed when Britni Sneed Newman stood in the circle for LSU.
A dominating right-hander who set a gaggle of Southeastern Conference softball records in her two-time All-American career, Sneed Newman tossed 10 no-hitters at LSU – six in her senior season – and helped lead the Lady Tigers to their first Women’s College World Series appearance.
That – not the 10 no-hitters – is what mattered most to Sneed Newman, now an assistant coach at Baylor.
“I don’t remember one of them,” Sneed Newman said. “I wish I did. It would be really cool to talk about. I do remember our team finally getting to the Women’s College World Series. We kept saying, ‘We’ve got to get past Courtney Blades so we can win the Women’s College World Series.’ That was my ultimate moment at LSU.”
Current Baylor coach Glenn Moore recruited Sneed to LSU and coached her for her first two seasons before taking the Baylor job.
Moore was impressed early by his ace right-hander’s demeanor even as a high schooler.
“She separated herself in the recruiting world because of her demeanor,” he said. “She didn’t get rattled. She didn’t get hit often, so there were not a lot of opportunities for her to get rattled.”
Behind Sneed Newman, LSU laid the foundation for continued success.
“She put LSU softball on the map,” said Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Yvette Girouard, Sneed Newman’s coach for her final two seasons. “She mowed down the SEC competition. She was true as dominating a pitcher as there was. How easy was my job? As good as she was as a pitcher, she was even better off the field. She did a magnificent job as a player and now as a coach.”
Jahri Evans built quite a foundation although his village started in north Philadelphia, far away from where he became a statewide hero as a New Orleans Saint.
The linchpin of a Saints offensive line that helped Drew Brees set league passing records, Evans’ 11-year career produced a Super Bowl championship that forever endeared himself and his teammates to the city and state.
Evans felt the love – almost physically – from Who Dat Nation throughout his career.
“I was coming from Bloomsburg (University) where I probably played in front of 5,000 people,” he said. “In the Superdome, we fed off the crowd. We really fed off the crowd going to the hotel the night before. New Orleans knows how to party.”
The city has hardly ever partied harder than after the Saints’ Super Bowl victory, which was assisted by an All-Pro offensive lineman whose college tape was so hard to find, head coach Sean Payton likened it to being “delivered by horse and buggy.”
“There was one copy of it,” Payton said. “We wanted to hold onto it and keep anyone else from seeing it because we saw how good he was.”
Good enough to earn induction into the Saints Hall of Fame and now the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
“I’ve been involved now in two hall of fame inductions for Jah,” teammate Zach Strief said. “I fully expect to be in the big one as well. He’s that good of a player and that impactful to the Saints organization.”
Ruston’s Kyle Williams’ career took an inverse path from his NFL contemporary Evans.
A standout for the Bearcats, Williams became a starter midway through LSU’s 2003 national championship season and parlayed that into a 13-year NFL career with Buffalo – one of the NFL’s most passionate markets.
“I’m super happy for you and your family,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said. “Jill, I hope you don’t cry that crying face you did when Kyle retired. Kyle, I hope you smile a little bit and enjoy the moment you earned.”
Williams smiled plenty during his speech, but when it came time to acknowledge his village, it was the thought of his wife that nearly made the high-motor defensive tackle come to tears.
“Probably the greatest moment of my career is making a victory lap in Buffalo and getting to go into a secluded room and tell my family the reason I was able to do that was I made a commitment to be my best every day and do my best,” Williams said. “That’s why we get to experience this weekend. Last but not least – and maybe the shortest – I like to call her the Little General.
“Jill, when I hitched my wagon to your star, it took off. You’re the toughest person I know. You’re a monster. You’re the best. I appreciate you.”
No one in the Natchitoches Events Center appreciates a good turn of a phrase or a laugh more than the second Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism winner – Teddy Allen.
A statewide sports writer and columnist, the loquacious everyman took time from his master of ceremonies gig to be honored in his first year on the ballot.
“It helps to write like you talk,” said J.J. Marshall, Allen’s longtime friend and co-worker. “If you listen to Teddy and you read Teddy, it’s almost the way he talks. He doesn’t try to overwrite. Teddy opens up and types it. Here it is. It sounds simple, but a lot of people don’t do that.”
The son of a South Carolina preacher who famously bestowed “The Mailman” nickname on Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Karl Malone, Allen had one simple way to sum up his journey to the Hall of Fame.
“I’ve led a Forrest Gump-like existence,” he said. “I was working at Beacon Gas in Claiborne Parish, and literally the parish sheriff took me to Ruston and said this is where you’re going to school. I told him no. He said, ‘Yeah, this is gonna happen.’ There have been a lot of people help me get from Point A to B to C. Such dear friends. I just like to laugh and love to hear you laugh.”
Induction class photo by Chris Reich/Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame
The Parish Council held a special called meeting on June 24 to approve a proclamation appointing a qualified candidate to District 2 of the Parish Council to fill the vacancy due to the resignation of Councilwoman Patsy Ward Hoover.
There was a conflict of scheduling with Evans so Council members were given the opportunity to call and speak with him before the meeting.
Scott is a Natchitoches native, who has worked for Alliance and Weyerhaeuser in the past. He’s currently a deacon at North Street Baptist Church and has been involved in the community all his life.
Layton has lived in Natchitoches since 1980. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and theology. She described herself as a quick learner with the heart of a servant, who desires better for her community.
Reaching a stalemate, Kilcoyne and Salter voted for Layton while Paige and Cheatwood voted for Scott.
The Governor will be notified to appoint someone to fill the position.
Dr. Mary Edith Stacy has been named dean of the College of Business and Technology at Northwestern State University. Her appointment has been approved by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System. Stacy has been interim dean since October 2021.
“I look forward to continuing to work with students, faculty, staff, alumni and stakeholders to advance the College of Business and Technology,” said Stacy. “Among my priorities will be attract and retain strong students and working closely with business and industry to make certain our programs are preparing our graduates for the workforce.”
The College of Business and Technology includes bachelor of science programs in accounting, business administration with concentrations in business analytics, e-sports management, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management and marketing. The College also includes bachelor of science programs in computer information systems with concentrations in application development, core programming, cyber security, networking and system management, web development and hospitality management and tourism with concentrations in culinary arts, hospitality services, travel and tourism. The College of Business and Technology offers a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems.
“Dr. Stacy brings a wealth of experience and perspective to the role of Dean,” said Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Greg Handel. “She understands student engagement, faculty development, and has perspectives and connections to Business and Industry that will help expand our advisory councils. We are excited for her to continue to our work with public and private partnerships, and look forward to the development of new international connections.”
Stacy has been a member of the staff and faculty at Northwestern State since 1992. She has worked in the Office of Financial Aid as coordinator of university scholarships from 1992 to 1998 and as director of auxiliary services from 1998 until 2003.
From 2003 to 2011, she was director of enrollment management where she was responsible for NSU’s student recruitment and retention plan and future enrollment forecasting. Under her leadership, the university had a record enrollment and made a successful transition to selective admissions which strengthened the institution.
Since 2011, Stacy has been a faculty member in the Department of Psychology and School of Business. In the School of Business, she has taught classes in business statistics and operations management to an average of 120 students per semester. Stacy has designed assessments to demonstrate a student’s knowledge of real-world business problems and finding solutions through problem solving techniques.
Stacy earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree at Northwestern State and a doctorate at Louisiana State University.
As a faculty member, Stacy has made numerous presentations to state, national and international professional conferences often collaborating with colleagues at Northwestern State.
Several hundred sports enthusiasts and area residents enjoyed the opportunity to meet the inductees into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame at the welcome reception for the LSHOF’s 2022 class held Thursday, June 23. The event, a fun local tradition, was free and open to the public and was an excellent opportunity to meet some of our state’s sports legends. The NSU Men’s basketball team was on hand to greet the arriving guests. Members of NSU’s Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha chapters were also on hand to volunteer as were volunteers from the LSHOF Foundation Board and FLASH. The induction events are a true community effort.
The official portraits of each inductee were on display for the first time to the general public. Each portrait shows the inductee in the context of his or her sport and is a tradition of the Hall of Fame. In addition, a silent auction of donated items and sports memorabilia helped raise funds for the organization. This year’s reception featured a special treat. Billy Cannon’s 1959 Heisman Trophy is on loan to the LSHOF and will soon be joined by Louisiana’s three other Heisman winners: John David Crow (1957), Joe Burrow (2019) and DeVonta Smith (2020).
The festivities are far from finished. Friday will feature a concert along the riverbank complete with signature Natchitoches quality fireworks show. Saturday morning will feature the Junior Training Camp on the NSU campus in which young people will be able to test their abilities, win prizes and learn what it takes to succeed on-and off-the playing field. The weekend will culminate at the induction dinner Saturday evening at the Natchitoches Events Center.
By Joe Darby
It’s human nature, I suppose, to remember those of our species who achieve significant firsts. Theirs is lasting fame, usually.
But what about the poor guy or gal who accomplished the same difficult task, but were merely the second to do it. We all know Christopher Columbus. But who remembers the explorer who was the second person to lead an expedition to the New World? Most remember Charles Lindbergh’s solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. Who made the second such flight? Even with our current abysmal knowledge of history, most can name George Washington as the first US president. Poor John Adams would not be named by many as the second chief executive.
So I want to bring to your attention a man who, except for a matter of less than three months, would be one of the most famous American athletes of all time. But few, except for real baseball history buffs, have heard of the fellow.
Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play Major League Baseball (except for a couple of young men who did it in the 1880s for a very brief time), Jackie broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. He was a great player and a great person.
His accomplishments are justly renowned. He put up with horrific verbal abuse from fans and opposing players alike and even had problems with some of his own teammates. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. On Jackie Robinson Day each year, all MLB players wear jerseys with Jackie’s retired number, 42. He deserves all the recognition he has gotten.
But, I ask, what about Larry Doby, a black man who started playing with the Cleveland Indians on July 4, 1947, just 81 days after Robinson’s debut with the Dodgers. Doby did achieve a first of his own. He was the first African American to play in the American League. Brooklyn, now the Los Angeles Dodgers, was in the National League.
Larry was also a darned good ball player and a tough, resilient guy. He had to be, because he received the same type of abuse that Robinson had suffered. But how many people know that? Doby was born in Camden, S.C., in 1923 and began playing baseball for the Newark Eagles of the Negro Leagues in 1943. When Cleveland owner Bill Veeck brought him up to the American League in 1947, he didn’t get off to as good of a start as Robinson did in Brooklyn that year.
But he returned in 1948 and helped lead the Indians to a World Series title that year, batting .301 with 14 home runs. He was still a star in 1954, when he hit .272 with 32 homers and 126 runs batted in. Even if his is not a household name, he was recognized by the sport and was belatedly voted into the Hall of Fame in 1998, just three years before he passed away.
So, what did he have to say for himself?
“Part of history? I have no ideas about that. I just want to play baseball.”
“The only difference was that Jackie Robinson got all of the publicity. You didn’t hear much about what I was going through because the media didn’t want to repeat the same story.”
I had a Larry Doby baseball card about 70 years ago. I sure wish I still had it. But I remember Larry. And it would be nice if lots more folks did, too.
(Natchitoches)-Little did a family from Henderson, Texas know that while traveling on I-49 in Natchitoches Parish to Florida on vacation and dropping off their daughter in south Louisiana for water skiing classes they would lose their daughter’s most important things, her suitcase, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.
On Saturday, June 13, Deputy Benji Phelps was patrolling on Interstate 49 near milepost #139 north of Natchitoches when he observed a large suitcase lying in the road.
Deputy Phelps stopped, took precautions and retrieved the suitcase from the roadway placing it in his unit.
Deputy Phelps would later check the contents of the suitcase finding clothes, cash, other essential items and a medicine bottle.
The medicine bottle contained a patient’s name and pharmacy in Henderson, Texas.
Deputy Phelps contacted the pharmacy and spoke with the pharmacist who was familiar with the family.
The pharmacist agreed to assist and contacted the family asking them to call Deputy Phelps.
The father called, Deputy Phelps asked if they had lost a suitcase in which he responded “they lost his daughter’s suitcase while they were traveling from Texas somewhere and they were in the process of purchasing and replacing all of her lost items in south Louisiana”.
They needed to replace the items because she was excited to attend the week long skiing class in Zachary, La.
The remaining family would continue to Florida for vacation while the daughter attended the class.
Deputy Phelps informed the father that he found the suitcase on I-49 in Natchitoches Parish, that everything appeared to be in order inside it and that he would be glad to return it to them on their return trip.
This past Saturday, June 18, Deputy Phelps and the family made arrangements to meet at French Market Express off of I-49 to return the suitcase to the family.
The suitcase was returned to the happy juvenile female, and she and her family continued their trip home to Texas.
Thank you Deputy Phelps for a job well done. Thank you for caring, and taking the extra steps to return the suitcase to the Rains family of Henderson, Texas.
The father said the suitcase apparently flew out of the bed of the their pickup truck without them knowing it.
Good luck Jolee, we wish you well.
Deputy Phelps is assigned to the NPSO Warrants/Transportation Division.
NPSO – Press Release
The Natchitoches Parish Library (NPL) will be welcoming back Animology as part of this year’s Summer Reading Program (SRP), “Oceans of Possibilities!” You never know what creatures you might meet at this educational wildlife program. The performance at the Northeast Branch in Campti will take place on Wednesday, June 29 at 2 PM. Performances in Natchitoches will be on Thursday, June 30, on the Riverbank Stage at 10 AM and 6 PM, and at the Main Branch at 2 PM.
You won’t want to miss this interactive and Informative learning experience, where you will hear all about the various animals’ natural habitats and habits!
To register for SRP online, text SUMMER to 318-357-3280. Weekly programs for teens and adults will be offered in addition to the children’s performances. SRP participants can read to earn prizes and entries for grand prize drawings for their age group through July 31.
Senator Louie Bernard talks about his recent vote on the concealed carry weapons issue and his decision to not seek re-election in 2023. Senator Bernard talks about the challenges of public service on one’s family and the difficulty of being elected to public service in such turbulent political times. Louie also explains his passion for election workers and the challenges recent attacks on election integrity have on our democracy.